Refill Cartridge for a Cylindrical Type Multi-Dosing Detergent Delivery Device

ABSTRACT

The invention is a refill device for a cylindrical type of multi-dosing detergent delivery device wherein, said refill device comprises a plurality of detergent carrying chambers ( 210 ) sharing a common backing substrate ( 230 ). In prior refill devices, the device is provided to consumers in a fully rolled condition ready to be deployed into the detergent delivery device. However, in the present invention the refill is supplied in flat format with locking features which enable the end consumer to easily perform a rolling operation prior to use. The advantage to this arrangement comes in the lowering of manufacturing costs, packaging, storage and transportation costs that come with a less complicated product.

The invention relates to a refill device for a detergent delivery device. In particular, it concerns improvements to refill cartridges for use in multi-dosing detergent delivery devices of the type used, for instance, within dishwashing machines where a detergent is dispensed automatically over a plurality of washing cycles without the requirement for a user to refill the device.

A number of devices are known for holding unit doses of a detergent composition or additive, such as detergent tablets, and for dispensing of such unit doses into a machine.

One particular device of great utility, which is the subject of PCT application WO/2008/053178 comprises a multi-dosing detergent delivery device, the device comprising a housing for receiving therein a cartridge having a plurality X of chambers each accommodating a detergent composition, a directing means to direct, in use, wash liquor selectively into a chamber of the cartridge to contact the detergent composition therein and an outlet to allow the detergent loaded wash liquor to exit the device, wherein the device further comprises indexing means for automatic movement of said cartridge, in use, relative to said directing means during and subsequent to a wash cycle so as to cause a neighbouring chamber to be in an exposed, ready to be used, position prior to a next washing cycle.

The above-mentioned device has a refill cartridge which consists of a cylinder of refill chambers.

To understand the operation of this prior art device in a little more detail, that device will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1( a), 1(b) and 1(c) are perspective assembled, perspective exploded and internal perspective views of a housing part and lid of the device of WO/2008/053178;

FIGS. 2( a) and (b) are schematic perspective views from above and from below showing a refill holder for use with the device of WO/2008/053178; and

FIGS. 3( a) and 3(b) show a refill cartridge for use with the refill holder of FIGS. 2( a) and (b), whilst FIG. 3( c) shows a single chamber of a refill cartridge.

FIGS. 1( a), 1(b) and 1(c) show respectively perspective assembled, perspective exploded and internal perspective views of detergent dispensing device 1 comprising a housing 2 and a lid 3. The housing 2 has an indexing mechanism 100 housed within it and described later. The lid 3 has a window 32 to allow a user to see by means of a visual indicator a number of washes used or remaining for use with the device and also has directing means comprising an aperture 34 for directing wash liquor/water to the interior of the housing. The lid 3 has a general funnel like appearance to facilitate the collection of wash liquor/water available to the directing means.

The housing 2 is arranged to receive a refill holder 4 as shown in FIG. 2( a) which shows a refill holder in front perspective view and FIG. 2 (b) which shows the holder in bottom perspective view. The refill holder 4 comprises a plurality of dividing fingers 5 emanating from a central hub 6 and has a base 7 featuring a number of apertures 8 and lower location slots 9. Internally of the hub 6, there are formed one or more upper locating tabs 10 (four shown in the figure), whilst externally and at a central portion thereof there is provided numbering from 1 to 12 representing the number of washing cycles that an associated refill may have undergone or have remaining. The window 32 of the lid has a transparent portion that is, in use, aligned with the relevant sector of the numbered area.

The refill holder 4 is, in use, positionable within the housing 2 and the hub 6 has a hollow formation to cooperate with, and fit over, a central shaft 120 of the indexing mechanism 100 as will be described later.

The fingers 5 are arranged to co-operate with and register with internal spaces formed between parts of a disposable refill package 200 such as the one shown in FIGS. 3( a) and 3(b) and having individual chambers 210 as shown in FIG. 3( c). The refill package 200 is a cartridge that comprises a plurality of like chambers 210, and has a roll formation. The chambers 210 are separate from each other and comprise plastic sleeve or blister packages. The chambers 210 are spaced apart upon a common backing substrate 230, having gaps between them that are apt to be engaged by the fingers 5 of the refill holder 4. Each chamber has an upper opening 220 and a lower opening 240 that is, in use, in register with one of the apertures 8 of the refill holder. Each chamber 210 is filled with sufficient cleaning composition for the completion of one dishwasher cycle. The contents of the chambers 210 are preferably in solid form and, therefore there is no problem with inadvertent spillage. There is also a central gap 250 in a central hub area that facilitates the placement of the refill 200 onto the refill holder 4.

The above mentioned refill cartridge is supplied to consumers in a fully formed “rolled” configuration. However, such configuration is not ideal for storage or transportation and requires a good deal of packaging.

Accordingly, it is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide a refill device for a cylindrical type of multi-dosing detergent delivery device which avoids one or more of the aforementioned storage, transportation or packaging problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a refill device for a cylindrical type of multi-dosing detergent delivery device wherein, said refill device comprises a plurality of detergent carrying chambers sharing a common web or backing substrate, the refill device being supplied to an end consumer in a first configuration in which said backing substrate lies flat and wherein upon deployment into the detergent delivery device the refill device is manipulated by the consumer to adopt a second, substantially cylindrical, configuration in which individual chambers are arranged substantially symmetrically around a central axis.

Preferably, the refill device is folded by the consumer into said second configuration to insert it the detergent delivery device.

Preferably, the detergent delivery device comprises a refill holder and a body portion, the refill holder and the body portion acting as a guide shape for the consumer to locate the refill device into.

Preferably, an internal wall of the body portion and upstanding fins of the refill holder act to keep the refill device in position inside the detergent delivery device.

The refill device preferably has a locking feature to secure opposed ends of the substrate to one another and maintain the refill device in a the second configuration.

Said locking feature may comprise a first locking portion at one end of the substrate and a complementary second locking portion at the other end.

The first locking portion may comprise a male portion and the second locking portion may comprise a female portion. For instance, the first portion may comprise one or more raised studs and the second portion may comprise one or more matching depressions, such that the or each stud is a press fit into the or each depression to hold the refill device in the cylindrical configuration.

The locking feature may comprise a hook fixing connection at one end of the substrate and an eye fixing connection at the other.

The locking feature may comprise a dummy chamber at one end of the substrate for overlapping with and securing to a chamber of the refill chamber of the device at the other end of the substrate.

The locking feature may comprise an extension of the substrate at one end of the refill device for overlapping with the substrate at the other end of the refill device.

The substrate may include an adhesive portion for aiding maintenance of the refill device in the second configuration.

Examples of embodiments of the present invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 4 shows a refill device in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, in which a locking feature of the device comprises co-operating male and female portions;

FIG. 5 shows a refill device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, in which a locking feature of the device comprises a dummy chamber;

FIG. 6 shows in schematic end on view an arrangement in which an extension of backing substrate has a hook formation; and

FIG. 7 shows how an aperture formed on an extension of the backing substrate may be used as a locking feature.

In each of the embodiments which follow, the refill devices to be described share the common feature of being supplied to end consumers in an essentially flat pack configuration in which chambers of the refill device lie in line, backed by a common substrate. To be more precise, in the flat pack state the refill device may be loose packaged such that when it is placed on a flat surface, the substrate will lie substantially flat against it. Each embodiment to be described further comprises the common feature of an end consumer folding the refill device into a substantially cylindrical format at the time of deploying it into a detergent delivery device.

In a first, most simple arrangement (not illustrated) the refill device may not have any locking features for securing ends of the substrate together, but may rely simply on a user folding the refill and inserting it unsecured in the detergent delivery device. In such an embodiment, the delivery device itself (which as in the prior art comprises a refill holder and a body portion) acts as a guide for the consumer to locate the refill device into. Here, an internal wall of the body portion and upstanding fins of the refill holder act to keep the refill device in position inside the detergent delivery device.

Whist the arrangement described above has appeal in terms of simplicity, it does rely on a user performing the operation of insertion of the refill device into the detergent delivery device while the refill is in a relatively unstable state—i.e. it is not locked in a folded configuration. This could prove to be challenging for some consumers.

Accordingly in the embodiments which follow, locking features with corresponding lock portions are described, in non-limiting fashion. Such locking features and portions are employed in preferred arrangements to bring and hold the refill in a stable cylindrical state. In each of these next embodiments, the refill device is supplied to the consumer in the first, lie flat, configuration and is then assembled by the user into the second, folded (or cylindrical), configuration immediately prior to deployment into a detergent delivery device.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a first embodiment of the invention having locking features. The refill device 200′ comprises a substrate 230′, carrying a plurality of refill chambers 210′ in similar or identical fashion to the prior art. The refill device 200′ further includes a locking portion at one end comprising a male “bumped” area 200A′ and a locking portion at the other end comprising a female “cavity” area 200B′. The male area 200A′ is formed on an extension 230E′ of the substrate 230′ for overlapping with the female area 200B′ to secure the opposed ends of the substrate 230′ together in a user friendly fashion.

Typically, the extension 230E′ forming the overlap for the refill device comprises an edge strip approximately 15 mm wide. The bump and cavity features are thermo-formed as part of the substrate material.

As indicated by the arrows in the figure, the final assembly operation carried out by an end consumer consists of simply rolling the cartridge and then pressing the bumps into the cavities prior to inserting the refill into the detergent delivery device.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention in which the flat refill is produced with a dummy chamber, e.g. a thirteenth chamber 210B″ for a twelve chamber refill device. Chambers one to twelve of the refill device being filled with doses of detergent, but the dummy chamber 210B″ being simply an outer shell with an open rear which is sized to be able to fit over the outer profile of chamber one 210(1)″ of the refill device. The fit is such that the extra dummy chamber 210B″ is overlapped on the chamber 210(1)″ in order to provide a “non permanent” connection when the refill is arranged in the cylindrical, folded shape. The dummy chamber is constructed so as not to block or obscure inlet and outlet holes or to interfere with any of the operational features of the chamber 210(1)″.

In a third embodiment of the invention, not shown, the locking feature may comprise corresponding hook and loop locking portions formed on either end of the substrate. These may be applied to the flat refill after the thermoforming process.

In a further alternative, the locking feature may simply comprise an area covered with a pressure sensitive adhesive, that is protected during transport by a removable paper strip. The pressure sensitive adhesive and the removable paper strip being applied to the flat refill after the thermoforming process.

FIG. 6 shows schematically an edge view of a refill device in the flat configuration having a “hook” formation 200B″′ which is an extension of the substrate 230″′. This hook formation can be used to engage with and overlap an opposite end located chamber 210″′—in similar fashion to the manner in which the embodiment of FIG. 5 functions.

FIG. 7 shows an end portion of a further embodiment in which there is a punched hole 200B″″ which acts as the locking feature by being shaped to fit over the outer profile of an opposite end located chamber.

In each of the embodiments discussed above, there is provided a locking feature for enabling a rolled refill cartridge to be easily secured in that configuration by an end user to facilitate the insertion of a cartridge into a detergent dispensing device.

The refill cartridge variants as described above all provide significant advantages in terms of easing manufacture, packaging, transportation, minimising shelf space on supermarket shelves and easily being stored too in customer cupboards. By supplying in a flat form for assembly into a cylindrical shape only at a moment before deployment all these advantages are gained. Furthermore, the solutions proposed for easing final assembly make the actual rolling up of the cartridge a trivial exercise for the consumer.

The skilled person will realise that by appropriate variation other convenient methods of fixing may be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A refill device adapted for insertion into a cylindrical type of multi-dosing detergent delivery device, wherein said refill device comprises a plurality of detergent carrying chambers sharing a web or common backing substrate, the refill device being supplied to an end consumer in a first configuration in which said backing substrate lies flat, and wherein upon deployment into the detergent delivery device the refill device is manipulated by the consumer to adopt a second, substantially cylindrical, configuration in which individual chambers are arranged substantially symmetrically around a central axis.
 2. A refill device according to claim 1, wherein the refill device comprises a locking feature to secure opposed ends of the substrate to one another and maintain the refill device in a the second configuration.
 3. A refill device according to claim 2, wherein said locking feature comprises at least a first locking portion at one end of the substrate for co-operation with a complementary element at the other end.
 4. A refill device according to claim 3, wherein said complementary element comprises a second locking portion.
 5. A refill device according to claim 4, wherein the first locking portion comprises a male portion and the second locking portion comprises a female portion.
 6. A refill device according to claim 5, wherein said male portion comprises a protrusion and said female portion comprises a cavity, aperture or depression.
 7. A refill device according to claim 3, wherein the locking feature comprises an element at one end of the substrate for overlapping with and securing to a chamber of the refill device at the other end of the substrate.
 8. A refill device according to claim 7, wherein said element comprises a dummy chamber, a hook or an aperture.
 9. A refill device according to claim 2, wherein the locking feature comprises an extension of the substrate at one end of the refill device for overlapping with, and fixation to, the substrate at the other end of the refill device.
 10. A refill device according to claim 9, wherein the substrate includes an adhesive portion for aiding maintenance of the refill device in the second configuration.
 11. (canceled) 